Analysis of mobile emergency response unit times in attending traffic accidents in Extremadura, Spain

Objective. To analyze the time mobile emergency response units took to attend casualties due to traffic accidents in Extremadura from 2012 to 2015. Methods. Retrospective descriptive study of information in the records of the emergency response coordination center 112 (ERCC-112) related to traffic accidents attended by mobile units. We compared care times in different situations, taking into consideration the seriousness of casualties. Results. The ERCC-112 mobile units attended 5572 traffic accidents, with 113 deaths. Half the accidents required the attendance of a mobile response unit (activation rate of 0.51). There was an inverse relationship between intervention duration and the population of the city or town where the accident took place. The shortest times were recorded in the 2 provincial capitals of Extremadura. The longest times were recorded in less densely populated areas. The mean (SD) duration required for interventions recorded for the fleet of units overall was longer in fatal accidents (45.5 +/- 21.5] minutes) than in nonfatal accidents (28.6 +/- 15.9] minutes) (P<.001). Likewise times were longer in critical cases with poorer prognosis (35.6 +/- 20.2] minutes) than in less serious ones (27.3 +/- 14.5] minutes) (P<.001). Conclusions. Mobile emergency unit attendance at traffic accidents took longer in less densely populated geographic areas. Units also took longer to attend accidents that caused serious casualties or deaths.